Definition

Noun: 1. A type of clothing iron, now largely historical, that was heated directly on a stove or fire: A flatiron is a solid, wedge-shaped piece of metal, typically with a handle, that was used to press clothes. It required an external heat source, such as a stove, to become hot enough for use.

Usage

The word "flatiron" specifically refers to the historical appliance. It is used when discussing historical methods, antique items, or in a descriptive context. * Before electric irons were invented, people used a flatiron heated on the wood stove. * The museum had a collection of antique flatirons from the 19th century.

Advanced Usage

• Descriptive Use: The distinctive triangular shape of the traditional flatiron has led to its use in describing buildings or geographic features with a similar wedge shape.
  • The Flatiron Building in New York is famous for its triangular shape, reminiscent of the old appliance.

Variants and Related Words

• Iron (noun): The general modern term for the appliance used to remove wrinkles from fabric, now almost always electric or steam-powered.
• Sadiron (noun): Another historical term for a solid, heavy flatiron, often used interchangeably.

Synonyms

• Clothes iron
• Sadiron (historical)
• Pressing iron

Different Meanings

• Flatiron as a noun has only one core meaning related to the household appliance. Its use to describe a triangular shape (as in "flatiron building") is a metaphorical extension based on the object's form, not a separate dictionary definition of the word itself.

Noun

1. an iron that was heated by placing it on a stove